Shot 42 on a quick 9 Friday

[BrandonM7]

For the record, that's an OUTSTANDING score for me. Up until then, my best 9 was 45 -- that doesn't sound much different, but this round was different in a way that made me smile all weekend. There were no birdies this time around. You'd think that would make me sad to a degree, but it actually made me so happy I almost pee'd on myself. No birdies and a 42 means no hole was BAD BAD. Obviously some were bad by good golfers' standards, but not by mine. I'm still grinning. 4 pars, 4 bogeys, and 1 double - the double actually included a wet ball, so in my crossed-up head that's not that bad - had I not rolled that chip just over the crest (which slowly rolled into the lake - I almost caught it as I ran after it,) or if this had been one month later when the grass along the lake were growing to stop the ball from rolling into the water, it would've been another par.

I'm never going to get good at this game, and I don't have a problem with that - I'm not naturally talented enough, nor am I willing to practice enough to force it. But if I can play pars and bogeys (with the occasional double and [lord willing] birdie thrown in,) I can actually start playing with any given person. Up until this point I would only play with people that I knew - people who were either as bad (or worse) than me, or people that I knew were better than me but were willing to put up with me or even teach me a thing or two along the way. Now based on my performance so far this year, I'm not afraid to go play with anyone I know. Or even people I don't know. Odds are I won't be as good as them still, but I'm now comfortable enough with my game that I don't think I'll be dragging anyone down and boring them to death.

Basically I'm finally a regular golfer, rather than a shitty golfer. That's a huge hurdle for me - obviously, since I'm posting on Sunday night about my game on Friday afternoon. Next hurdle - stop ruining my game by trying to kill the ball when I'm playing with other people. I'ma try to jump that one this week by playing a round with someone I've never played with -- oddly, I have confidence in my ability to do that for the first time. Going on three years of playing this game, I think I'm finally going to stop calling it stupid.

[mddubya]

Congrats there Brandon. If that was your legit score, counting penalty strokes, there is nothing wrong with a 42. You have every right to be proud. I'm not so sure about the almost peeing yourself part?, but a good score none the less.

[Eracer]

There is nothing wrong with admitting that par for you is different than par for a scratch golfer. I've been admitting it to myself for a while now, and I'm having lots more fun. This game is supposed to bring us enjoyment. Why chase an impossible dream? Then again, I have to ask myself why, if I know I'm not to going get much better, do I keep buying clubs, practicing, and taking lessons, in the hope that they will help me do just that?

Good score. Keep it in your mind for those times when you're not playing so well. Remembering what it felt like to play well can sometimes turn a bad round around.

[eclark53520]

Great score, and one of the best peices of advice i have ever gotten was "jus Shoot what you shoot" from an old man on the golf course, after that i had one of the best rounds i have had, realizing that i should just play my game, and not be so hard on myself for missing a green/fairway

Dont get discouraged if you go out and shoot a 48 on your next nine though, golf is a relentless game, and to win, you have to be just as relentless!

Have fun out there!

[BrandonM7]

I absolutely agree with you guys - I'm all for the "shoot what you shoot" logic, and always have been. I guess the reason I'm happy is that I'm finally getting to the point that what I shoot is socially acceptable. I don't care about the score (although I wrote it on the ball as a keeper, because it's probably the best I'll ever do,) I'm just giddy that I can now play with other folks without turning into a nervous wreck and making a fool of myself. You know, nobody wants to play with a dude that shoots 120 and runs out of balls because he only brought a dozen. But if I can shoot anywhere in the 90s, maybe even high-80s once in a while, I can play along with pretty much anybody without feeling like I'm inconveniencing them too bad. That's pretty much all I've been looking for in this game, to be honest.

Here it is Monday and I'm still happy.

[eclark53520]

That confidence will probably take you further than you think!

Once i got some confidence behind me, my game really started to come around.

[Eracer]

Originally Posted by BrandonM7

I absolutely agree with you guys - I'm all for the "shoot what you shoot" logic, and always have been. I guess the reason I'm happy is that I'm finally getting to the point that what I shoot is socially acceptable. I don't care about the score (although I wrote it on the ball as a keeper, because it's probably the best I'll ever do,) I'm just giddy that I can now play with other folks without turning into a nervous wreck and making a fool of myself. You know, nobody wants to play with a dude that shoots 120 and runs out of balls because he only brought a dozen. But if I can shoot anywhere in the 90s, maybe even high-80s once in a while, I can play along with pretty much anybody without feeling like I'm inconveniencing them too bad. That's pretty much all I've been looking for in this game, to be honest.

Here it is Monday and I'm still happy.

Excellent. Sounds like we are very similar players. I'm still working on NEVER getting upset about a bad result. I'm finding that maintaining a positive attitude throughout the round is helping me play better golf. I'm even starting to feel some glimmer of hope that I'll be able to shake off the chyips I've had for so long. If I can just leave those behind, I will see my scores drop to where I think they should be.

[5iron]

Great job, and great score BrandonM7.

[BrandonM7]

I played the same 9 today, and again I was 6 over par. Then I got to the 5th tee and it all went to hell I was at 65 today when I lost my last ball (well, the last ball I was willing to lose) off the 9th tee, so I packed up and went home. I still had a great time, and don't really care that I played so badly. I have a huge chest cold - so bad that I can't even talk, but being outside feels better than being inside - so I'll blame it on that. I wasn't doing terrible up until 5, just made some small mistakes that cost strokes. On 5 I have an uphill second shot where I can't see the green, and I aimed the wrong way. I rode up the hill and made sure I knew where I was going - picked a fuzzy tree to aim at. Then I hit my shot and heard a loud "clank" at the end, and immediately realized I had aimed at the wrong fuzzy tree I hit the water cooler next to the 6th tee, and the ball was lost. That would've been dead on the stick if I had aimed at the correct tree.

It was all WAY downhill from there. My muscles were getting stiff, and my chest was really hurting telling me I should be sleeping instead of golfing.

Whatever the result, I still had fun playing this stupid game, however poorly I may have done it.

[ezra76]

Don't let it get to you man. This game takes time to get better and stay better at. I'm fairly inconsistant but I'd rather be shooting my scores than a guy that shoots 86-87 every time out. I can go a lot lower if my short game is on and higher when it's not. Practice and playing will make that better and the good days will become the average days eventually.

Sounds like you handled it pretty well though. Have you ever taken any lessons? I played for a little longer than you without lessons. Once I did, I started understanding the golf swing and my golf swing. Makes things a lot easier on the course as well as "knowing" what I'm working on/towards when practicing full swing shots.

[ers1029]

Good round man, a 42 is a good score! I wish I could shoot that low. My goal is to get into the high, mid forties this year for 9. Right now I am shooting about mid, low 50s. My tee game is the death of me.